WHAT MAKES US
INCOME SOCIAL RACE ENVIRONMENT
HEALTHY?
W
here people live, learn, work and play affects how long and how well they live — to a greater extent than most of us realize. What constitutes health includes the effects of our daily lives — how our children grow up, the food we eat, how physically active we are, the extent to which we engage in risky behaviors like smoking and our exposure to physical risks and harmful substances—as well as the neighborhoods and environments in which we live. We must identify where people can make improvements in their own health and where society needs to lend a helping hand.
LIFESTYLE CHOICES
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
GENDER
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
EDUCATION
BIOLOGY & GENETICS
AGE
Poor health starts long before disease begins. While every disease has a direct biological cause, there are many other factors that can impact a person’s ability to live a healthy life. These are known as “risk factors”.
1.
Modifiable risk factors can be changed or controlled through individual actions, policy changes, or environmental modification. All of these risk factors interact over our lifespan to influence our health. ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE affects 20% of our health.
2.
Non-modifiable risk factors are factors we cannot change, such as age, sex, genetics and race or ethnicity. These risk factors determine only about 30% of our overall health.18 This means that the majority of our health is determined by modifiable risk factors that can be changed. INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS affect 30% of our predicted health and include tobacco use, alcohol use, physical activity levels, diet, and stress. Stress, especially chronic stress, can also negatively influence health. The way we respond to the stress of daily living relates to our sense of well-being and our quality of life.
The PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT influences 10% of our health. This includes factors such as the quality of our air and water, access to outdoor recreation space, and availability of fresh foods. This also includes neighborhoods that allow residents to safely walk or bike and access public transportation. SOCIAL SURROUNDINGS & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES affect 40% of our predicted health. These social and economic factors include education and income and are often influenced by our age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity.